


I love you (not)

by Kimium



Category: Dangan Ronpa - All Media Types, New Dangan Ronpa V3: Everyone's New Semester of Killing
Genre: Fluff, M/M, No spoilers for the first two chapters, Prompt Fill, Seriously Yuki is evil, Set in Chapter 3
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-14
Updated: 2018-02-14
Packaged: 2019-03-18 21:34:15
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,133
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13690254
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kimium/pseuds/Kimium
Summary: Set in Chapter 3.Kokichi uses a flower to help him determine what he feels about a certain Detective.





	I love you (not)

**Author's Note:**

  * For [little_shinra](https://archiveofourown.org/users/little_shinra/gifts).



> (-slides in with about two hours left of Valentines Day-)
> 
> Oh, look, a V3 story from me.
> 
> Truth be told I never expected to write a V3 story, but yesterday I (foolishly) reblogged an old prompt post all about love because I wanted to write a quick cute story. Then Yuki sent me an ask telling me to write about V3 only. The prompt is: white rose "I love you not".
> 
> I had a ton of fun writing this fic, though I am unsure if I will ever write another V3 story. Who knows?
> 
> Feel free to leave comments and kudos. They always make my day.

_He loves me. He loves me not. He loves me. He loves me not…_

Kokichi lay on the grass, just along the side of the building, and twirled the flower in his hands. It was a daisy, one of those long, stringy ones that grew on the side of every road in the summer. Most of the petals were an off white, floppy. If a strong breeze picked up, Kokichi was sure the petals would fly away in the wind, violently ripped from the yellow core, like a love struck fool betting on if their crush returned the feelings. Lazily, he reached up, finger tips brushing the petals. If only determining if someone returned feelings was as simple as pulling petals in a pattern. Kokichi snorted.

People were complex, but that was what made them so entertaining. Everyone had a breaking point, everyone had buttons to press, to play with. Kokichi knew this all too well, had mastered the art form of riling people up. Emotions were things in others he could play with, see the outcomes, or at least predict them.

His emotions, on the other hand… Everyone thought he didn’t feel anything, but that was a foolish assumption. It was an assumption born out of rage and anger. After all, wasn’t it easier to villainize someone rather than getting to know them? Clear cut answers were what people liked. Effort wasn’t needed.

Not like he could talk. Kokichi sat up. What did he feel? What pushed him? He touched his heart, trailing his fingers around his chest. Everything felt submerged, barely under, but obscured by water. His depth perception was skewed and every time he tried to reach for an emotion, his hand missed, catching nothing.

In a way then, wasn’t it hypocritical to judge the others for projecting their assumptions on him when he didn’t know how he felt himself? Kokichi didn’t know. (Perhaps, it was for the better.)

Or at least, that was what he liked to tell himself.

Lately, things were being pushed violently to the surface, swirling in storms when he was alone. Night after night he lay in his dorm, feeling the thoughts consume him. It was to be expected, with the killings, the helplessness everyone was facing. The emotions coated the air in the thick mess and it left Kokichi tethering on the edge.

On one side, this was a gold mine. Everyone toppled over at the slightest word, the smallest of gestures. He could toy and play with everyone to his heart’s content. However, on the other side their situation was taking a toll on him.

Not that he’d let anyone know. It was easier this way. The lies he had constructed around himself were constricting him. Why stop now? Everyone already suspected him to act a certain way, say certain things. Wasn’t it rude to not live up to their expectations? Really, people were only what others felt they were, right?

So, he continued to follow their little play, act the way everyone expected. Complacency was the secret motivator to destruction and chaos. Not caring was what toppled empires, destroyed society, and was currently destroying him.

Perhaps then, the emotions he should be figuring out weren’t the other’s, but rather, his own. With that in mind, Kokichi held the flower close to his chest and began to tug the petals off one by one.

_I love you… I love you not… I love you… I love you not…_

He repeated the words in his mind, tugging meticulously at the petals, letting them blow and scatter in the wind. When the yellow center was left, Kokichi dropped it and stood up. Dusting the grass and dirt off his pants, he headed inside.

One perk to being trapped in a single location was the ability to know that sooner or later, he’d run into everyone. Having their own personalized labs only helped. More often than not someone would be in their personalized lab. Really, did Monokuma do this to make killing easier? If so, that was rather sad, destroying the challenge.

Whistling a jaunty tune that didn’t fit their current predicament, Kokichi meandered through the first floor, enjoying the cracks in the walls and floor, nature growing in. It felt right, to see civilization fading and nature once again taking over. If all but one died in the end, then the place really would become overgrown. Kokichi hummed. He’d probably never see that.

Not many people were alone on the first floor, but he managed to see most of the survivors still hanging around. He ignored them, and he knew they were more than happy to follow suit, though Kibo waved. But that was because he was naïve.

(Kokichi paused at the thought and wondered if Kibo would retort with “That’s robophobic!” if he ever caught wind.)

Heading the second floor, Kokichi checked the hallways, but didn’t enter any of the personalized labs. With no one around, he proceeded up to the next floor. The traditional atmosphere and dimness made his skin crawl, but Kokichi ignored it and continued to walk until he reached Angie’s room.

Outside he spotted Saihara, backing out, hands up. Inside he heard Angie’s chipper voice. Probably talking about art or trying to convince Saihara to join her and her little group. Regardless, it was good news for Kokichi. Walking up, he tapped Saihara’s arm. The detective nearly jumped before he whipped his head around, looking at him.

“Ouma?” He asked, a bit dazed.

“Hello Saihara-chan.” Kokichi practically sang, “Just the person I was looking for.”

“What?” Saihara blinked.

“You’re so cruel.” Kokichi pouted, “You promised you’d hang out with me.”

“I…” Saihara stopped himself, “I don’t remember doing that.”

Kokichi placed his hands over his heart, “You wound me. After I spent all my time trying to find you.”

“…” Kokichi could see the gears in Saihara’s mind turning before he sighed, “Fine. Where do you want to go?”

“Yay!” Kokichi cheered, “Saihara-chan is hanging out with me!” He twirled and began to walk back to the stairs.

“Wait.” Saihara half jogged after him, “Where are we going?”

Kokichi hummed. What answer would throw Saihara off? “The love hotel!” He replied, “I’ve been dying to take my beloved Saihara-chan with me.”

Spluttering and blushing, as Kokichi suspected. On any one else it would be dull, predictable, but with Saihara it was fun to see his cheeks colour, stain with red. Kokichi waited a full beat before he laughed.

“Just kidding.” He said between his giggles, “Your expression is priceless.”

Saihara immediately coughed, looking down for a moment, composing himself. Kokichi grinned.

“I was thinking outside, along the side of the building. The weather is nice.” Not that the weather could be anything but nice. At least, as far as Kokichi knew.

“Oh, okay.” Saihara managed, “I haven’t been outside yet.”

“Shut in.” Kokichi accused as he skipped down the stairs, “If you act like that you’ll become a hermit.”

“I don’t think that would be possible…” Saihara mused, as though he was actually considering Kokichi’s remark.

It was both nice and irritating to see Saihara like this. He was so gullible, but also sharp. He wanted to believe the best in everyone, but then cut through everyone’s lies with ease. Saihara was a walking mix of contradictions and Kokichi revelled in the idea he was the only one to see this. It made Saihara his in a way, a secret, special bond they only shared. It sent a warm shiver down Kokichi’s spine.

They made their way outside a moment later, the sun still gleaming down. Kokichi continued to lead them, back to where he was not twenty minutes ago. The wind had blown away all the petals he had plucked, but Kokichi could still see the plucked steam laying on the ground. The center nothing without the petals.

“I didn’t know we had flowers around here like this.” Saihara mused to himself.

“More like weeds.” Kokichi corrected, “They grow everywhere on the streets.”

“Weeds can be flowers too.” Saihara knelt down to pluck one, “We just call them weeds because we can’t control them. Any flower could be a weed if we let it over grow.”

“So, you’re saying control makes things desirable?” Kokichi asked, “I never pegged you to be into that sort of thing.”

Saihara, once again flushed, though this time he tried to hide his spluttering with some coughs. Kokichi rocked back and forth a little, feeling his heels dig into the ground. Clasping his hands behind his back he gave a grin.

“You’re so easy to rile up Saihara-chan.” He chirped.

“Is that why you want to hang out with me?” Saihara mildly asked, his tone curious.

The immediate response, that yes, it was, filled the tip of his tongue, but Kokichi held it. Instead of answering he focused on the flower in Saihara’s hands. Not long ago he had one, had plucked one like a love-struck fool.

_I love you… I love you not… I love you… I love you not…_

Emotions, thick and warm filled Kokichi, trying to crack the surface that contained them. He called it foolish earlier, to use a daisy of all things to help him decide what to feel. Or, more accurately, what to show.

“Say, Saihara-chan.” Kokichi slowly started, “You know how people use flowers to determine if someone likes them?”

Saihara blinked before he spoke, his mind already racing to answer the question, “Yes, like ‘he loves me, he loves me not’ sort of thing? It’s interesting to consider why such a practice came around, or the origins…”

Kokichi took a large step forward and with motions that were clumsier than he’d like to admit, tugged Saihara down into a kiss. Immediately he felt Saihara stiffen. Kokichi didn’t close his eyes, wanting to see as much as he could (well, as much as their given angle allowed him). Saihara’s mouth was warm, wet, and soft. Kokichi pressed a bit harder, wishing Saihara would make it easier and wrap his arms around him.

It was the angle that caused Kokichi to break the kiss. He almost wanted to demand Saihara kiss him back proper, but that wouldn’t happen. Now that the high of kissing Saihara was fading (no, it really wasn’t. Kokichi could feel his lips tingle and his mind scream for more), it was time to retreat. Why he had listened to the flower was beyond him, but there would be time later to beat himself (mentally) over it.

“I figured deciding how others feel is a waste, so I wanted to experiment.” Kokichi kept his voice light, “I did a self fortune telling. I think that’s not good.” He laughed. “The flower told me to kiss you.”

Stepping away, Kokichi hoped Saihara would be jarred enough to not react or respond. It was best to fully retreat, scurry off into a hidden location for the rest of the day. Cowardly? Probably. But not all battles were won with blind bravery.

Instead, Saihara grabbed his hand, tightly. Kokichi nearly stumbled as he turned around. Great. Now he’d have to stand and listen to Saihara ask questions, demanding answers. Maybe he could distract him and run away…

But he couldn’t. Not with Saihara’s arms around him. Not with Saihara’s lips on his. Kokichi froze for a moment, his brain catching up to comprehend the situation he was in. Saihara was… kissing him back? It felt like reality had tumbled at his feet, except the ground felt firm and Saihara felt so good.

Pulling his thoughts in, Kokichi went for the opportunity. He kissed back, shutting all worries. Saihara had started this one, so it was okay. Closing his eyes, Kokichi kissed Saihara, prying his mouth open, letting their kiss deepen… it was slick, hot, and everything a kiss could want.

When they parted for air, Kokichi felt his breathing labour in his throat. He could hear his pants as he greedily tried to gasp for air.

“You don’t have to try and lie about your feelings.” Saihara said softly, pulling Kokichi into a hug, “I’m rather flattered.”

Flattered… that meant a rejection. Kokichi knew listening to flowers was a bad idea.

“I… feel the same… I mean…” Saihara coughed and pulled away so they had some space, “I like you Ouma.”

He… did? Kokichi blinked. That meant… he quickly gave a smile despite the turmoil his heart was doing (currently it was doing cartwheels and threatening to fly out of his chest).

“So, that means my suggestion about visiting the love hotel was actually something considered?”

Saihara gaped before he gave a small smile, “Perhaps, if this works out… a proper relationship…”

Proper… relationship… that meant… it was Kokichi’s turn to flush.

(Not that he’d ever admit to that.)

**Author's Note:**

> Daisy: When I lived in Japan I saw daisies in summer growing EVERYWHERE. Granted I lived in a small town with nature everywhere I turned, but still. Daisies EVERYWHERE.
> 
> Kibo: I decided to write his name this way.
> 
> Saihara-chan: If I remember correctly it's what Kokichi calls Shuichi in the Japanese version (?)


End file.
